Tips to avoid collisions as Colorado’s wildlife are on move

A deer on Owl Creek Road in Snowmass during a day in May 2017. Fall is another time when wildlife are moving and motorists need to be aware, warns the Colorado State Patrol.

BEST PRACTICES

Most collisions with wildlife in Colorado come in the fall and spring when animals are on the move. Some tips from CDOT:

Dawn and dusk are the most important times of day to be vigilant.

Eliminate all distractions from around you.

Reduce the intensity of dashboard lighting.

Always drive within the comfort of your head lamps.

If you see one animal, there’s more likely others behind it.

Look for signs such as eye shine or signals on the highway.

Colorado's wildlife viewing opportunities rival those of any other state, but they come with a cost.

Drivers must be aware of what is out there, especially in the mountain regions and on the Western Slope.

Colorado has seen an average of 3,300 reported wildlife collisions on the road each year for the past decade, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Of those, 2,661 resulted in human injury and 33 killed people.

In 2016, CDOT Region 3, which covers most of northwest Colorado and includes Garfield and Pitkin counties, saw 2,086 animals killed on the road, which is the most of any of the five regions, according to CDOT data.

The region has seen an increase in road kill each year since 2013. Six bears were killed in Region 3 in 2016.

"Although animals can cross the roadway anywhere at any time, there are high-risk areas, seasons and times that travelers should be well aware of," CDOT said in its video "Wildlife on the Move."

The highest risk for wildlife encounters comes in the fall.

CDOT says the most dangerous time to travel is from mid-September thru October, and risk spikes again in spring due to migration patterns.

"Dawn and dusk are the most important times of day to be vigilant about wildlife, as animal movement is high and visibility is low," Colorado State Patrol Trooper Joshua Lewis said in a CDOT video. "Eliminate all distractions from around you, reduce the intensity of dashboard lighting and always drive within the comfort of your head lamps."

"Remember, if you see one animal, there's more likely others behind it. Look for signs such as eye shine or signals on the highway," he said. "These tips are not just for new or unfamiliar drivers, but for experienced drivers that may become complacent in their normal routine. If you do have an animal encounter remember to brake, look and steer."

In 2016, CDOT Region 3, which covers most of northwest Colorado and includes Garfield and Pitkin counties, saw 2,086 animals killed on the road. That was the most of any of the five regions, according to CDOT data.

The region has seen an increase in road kill each year since 2013. Six bears were killed in Region 3 in 2016.

BEST PRACTICES

Most collisions with wildlife in Colorado come in the fall and spring when animals are on the move. Some tips from CDOT: